Lasers are commonly used for firearm sighting when light conditions are poor, such as at night or in the darkened rooms of buildings. They are often used by police and military users of firearms, who need to be able to quickly and accurately aim the firearm at a poorly-illuminated target under low light conditions. They are increasingly popular for use with handguns, which are otherwise potentially difficult to aim and shoot accurately.
Laser sights have been developed that employ a battery-powered laser that has been sighted-in so that the laser illuminates the firearm's point of impact. The target reflects the laser beam back to the user, which informs the user exactly where the firearm is aimed and where the bullet will impact if the firearm is fired.
Various laser gunsight systems have been developed for use with firearms that are equipped with a handgrip. One example is the LG-401 LASERGRIPS® manufactured by Crimson Trace® of Wilsonville, Oreg. The standard factory-supplied grips are removed from the firearm and replaced by two panels that are screwed onto the firearm's frame. The two panels are connected by a front activation pad that wraps around the front strap of the firearm's handgrip. The handgrip is grasped by the user's hand when the firearm is being held in the firing position, and a laser attached to the top of the right grip is turned on while the front activation pad is depressed. The laser housing includes set screws to adjust the laser's elevation and windage when the laser is sighted-in by firing rounds at a target and noting any aiming error. The two batteries are capable of powering the laser for about four hours of illumination.
However, the LG-401 LASERGRIPS® has a significant disadvantage in that the sighting-in process of the laser has to be repeated every time the batteries are changed. One of the two batteries cannot be replaced unless the right grip holding the laser is removed from the firearm so the battery can be accessed and replaced. When the right grip is reattached, there is no guarantee the laser beam will still accurately reflect the firearm's point of impact. Battery replacement is recommended at least annually, and even more frequently for heavy users, which creates considerable inconvenience if a shooting range is not readily available. Furthermore, if the batteries begin to fail or experience a complete failure in the field, the user cannot replace them without taking the chance that the laser beam will no longer accurately indicate the firearm's point of impact.
The LG-401 LASERGRIPS® has an additional disadvantage in that its exterior mimics the standard hard factory-supplied firearm grips for handguns. It is often desirable to utilize firearm handgrip assemblies composed of rubber or other relatively soft elastomers instead. The use of a soft firearm handgrip assembly provides the user with a more secure grip. Such firearm handgrip assemblies often include ergonomic features such as finger ridges and palm swells to provide adequate security for holding the gun during recoil. The firearm handgrip assemblies may also provide a larger grip circumference than the standard factory-supply firearm handgrips to accommodate users with larger hands. Firearm grip assemblies may include rigid inserts for reinforcement of the elastomer material.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved firearm handgrip assembly that provides a laser gunsight system with batteries that can be changed without detaching the laser from the firearm and that provides ergonomic features. In this regard, the various embodiments of the present invention substantially fulfill at least some of these needs. In this respect, the firearm handgrip assembly according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing a laser gunsight system with batteries that can be changed without detaching the laser from the firearm and providing ergonomic features.